Fuel-distributing apparatus.



a. E. JACKSON & B. 0. YEARWOOD. FUEL DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED .IAN.9. I9I8.

1,300,272, I Patented Apr. 15,1919.-

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UNITED sTa'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. JACKSON AND IBYBD O. YEARWOOD, 0F PRINCETON, WEST VIRGINIA.

FUEL-DISTRIBUTING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented n nis', 1919,

Application filed January 8, 1918. Serial No. 211,056.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Ronnn'r. E. JACKSON and BYRD O. Ynanwooo, citizens of the' United States, residing at Princeton, in the county of Mercer and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Distributing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The. present inventionrelates to fuel distributing means, for use in connection with mechanical stokers.

Animportant object of the invention is to provide means whereby fluid pressure may be employed for introducing the fuel into the fire-box of the furnaceor the like, in a manner to properly distribute the fuel in such fire-b'ox.

A further object of the invention is to provide fuel distributing means of the above mentioned character, which are automatic in operation,

A. further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, parts of which are readily removable, so that the door opening ,of the fire-box is not obstructed, when it is desired to manually feed fuel through the door opening.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings formmg a part of this specification and in which l ke numerals are employed to designate llke parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectlonal View through the fuel distributing apparatus,

, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken online 22 ofFig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the fuel distr buting apparatus, parts in section, and parts omitted,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same,

Fig. 5 is a s milar view of an inclined fuel guide-plate, included in the distributing apparatus, and, i.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through a stationary nozzle.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 10Ydesignates the end wallor crown sheet of the fire-box of a railway locomotive, having a door. opening 11, through which the fuel is supplied to'the interior of the fire-box.

I Arranged within the door opening 11 is fuel distributing apparatus, designated as a whole by the numeral 12. This apparatus comprises a lower plate 13, the forward edge 14 of which is preferably curved, as clearly shown in Figs. 2,3 and 4. Near its rear end, the plate 13 is provided with a depending flange 15, adapted for insertion within brackets 16, within which the same is held and may be removed therefrom, when desired. As shown more clearly in Figs. 3 p

and 4, the plate 13 is provided with a plurality of spaced radial forwardly diverging ribs or flanges 17. Arranged at the rear ends of the ribs or flanges 17 is a preferably hollow inclined guide-plate 18, which is also spherically curved with its convex face arranged uppermost, and provided upon its lower side with a depending V-shaped flange 19. therein the ribs or flanges 17, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 The V-shaped flange 19 constitutes supporting means for the guideplate 18 and forms a chamber, having communication with the spaces between the flanges 17.

The forward end of the inclined guideplate 18 engages with shoulders 20, and is held thereby against forward displacement, while the rear end of the guide-plate contacts with a casing section, to be described. The guide-plate 18 is readily removable.

The numeral 21 designates a deflector This V-shaped flange receives.

plate, arranged above the guide-plate 18,

and is rigidly secured to a rock-shaft 22,

ranged above the cover 26 is a vertically swinging door section 27, and horizontally swinging aeor sections 28 are disposed upon opposite sides of the casing section 25.

. close the same.

The numeral 29 designates an upper stubshaft, which is journaled in the upper end of the casing section 25, and carries a sprocket wheel 30, to engage with a sprocket chain 31, carrying buckets 32. The sprocket chain 31 and associated elements constitutes an endless conveyer, to discharge fuel upon the inclined guide-plate 18.

The fuel distributing apparatus further comprises a horizontally swinging nozzle 33, positioned near and rearwardly of the ribs or flanges 17, and screw-threaded within the upper end of an upstanding pipe 34, adapted to turn upon its longitudinal axis. Fluid pressure, such as steam or compressed air, is supplied into the pipe 34 by any suitable means. The pipe 34 is turned or rocked by means of a crank 35, having pivotal connection with a pitman .36, which may be reciprocated by any suitable means.

In Fig. 6, is shown a stationary nozzle 33, having its rear end screw-threaded for attachment to the upper end of the pipe 34. The nozzle includes a head 35, having forward y diverging apertures 36, as shown.

The nozzle-is located centrally behind the flanges 17, corresponding to the position oceupiedgby' the nozzle 33, in Fig. 4. When the stationary'nozzle 33 is employed, the means for-turning or rocking the pipe 34, is dispensedvwith;

The numeral 18 designates a swinging deflector, secured vto a vertical rock-shaft 19', having a crank 20', rigidly secured to its lower end. This crank has pivotal connection with a pitman 21', manually moved by any suitable means. It is thus apparent that by shifting the deflector 18 in either direction, the supply of coal to either side of the guide plate 18, may be increased.

1 The operation of the apparatus is as fol ows:

The nozzle 33 is continuously oscillated in the rear of the flanges or ribs 17, and discharges fluid pressure therebetween, as the fuel, such as suitably finely divided coal, is being fed'upon the inclined guide-plate 18, by the elevating conveyer. The inclined deflector plate 21 prevents the buckets 32 discharging the fuel through the door opening 11, without passing upon the inclined guideplate 18. The fuel discharged upon the inclined guide-plate 18 is discharged therebybetween the flanges 17, and the fluid pressure serves to blow such fuel, in forwardly d1- verging streams, into the firebox, thereby properly distributing the same. i

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts maybe re- Sorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In fuel distributing apparatus of the character described, a substantially transversely flat lower plate provided with forwardly divergingupstanding flanges which cover the entire area of the forward portion of said lower plate and adapted for insertion within the door opening of a fire box, a fluid pressure supply nozzle arranged rearwardly of and near the flanges, means to supply fluid pressure to the nozzle. and an inclined guide plate arranged near and above the rear portions of the flanges with the forward portions of the flanges projerting forwardly beyond the same for a substantial distance, said inclined guide plate having its surface spherically curved.

2. Fuel distributing apparatus of the character described, comprising a plate adapted to be arranged in the door opening of afire-box and having forwardly diverging upstanding flanges, a swinging fluid pressure supply nozzle arranged rearwardly of and near the flanges, an inclined guideplate disposed near and above the nozzleand terminating at the rear ends of the flanges to supply fuel thereto, means to supply'fuel upon the inclined guide-plate. and means to move the swinging nozzle.

1 3. Fuel distributing apparatus of the character described, comprising a plate adapted to be arranged in the door opening of a fire-box 'and having forwardly diverging upstanding flanges, a swinging fluid pressure supply nozzle arranged rearwardly of and near the flanges, an inclined guideplate arranged near and above the nozzle and having a depending approximately V- shaped flange which diverges forwardly and is adapted to be arranged in close relation to the first named plate, means to move the nozzle, and means to supply fuel to the inclined plate.

4. Fuel distributing apparatus of the character described, comprising a plate having forwardly diverging upstanding flanges, a swinging fluid pressure supply nozzle arranged rearwardly of and near the flanges, a guide plate arranged near and above the nozzle and adapted to discharge fuel upon and between said flanges, a depending flange carried by the guide-plate and adapted to be arranged in close relation to the first named plate, means to supply fuel to the guide-plate, and an angularly arranged dcflector plate disposed near and above the guide-plate.

5. In fuel distributing apparatus of the. character described. a lower plate provided with forwardly diverging upstanding flanges and adapted for insertion within the door opening of a fire box, a fluid pressure supply nozzle arranged rearwardly of and near the flanges; means to supply fluid pressure to the nozzle, an inclined guide platearranged near and above the rear portions of the flanges with the forward portions of the flanges projecting forwardly beyond the same for a substantial distance, said inclined guide plate having its surface spherically curved, and a horizontally swinging deflector arranged-approximately centrally of the spherically curved surface of the guide plate and disposed near and above the same.

6. In fuel distributing apparatus of the character described, a plate adapted for insertion within the door opening of a fire box, a plurality of forwardly diverging upstanding flanges carried 'by the forward end of the plate and having their rear ends spaced a substantial distance from the rear I end of the plate, said flanges being provided at their rear ends with reduced portions forming shoulders, a horizontally swinging nozzle pivoted near the rear end of the plate and having its forward end adapted to swing in proximity to the rear reduced ends of the flanges, an inclined guide plate arranged upon the-rearreduced ends of the flanges and having its forward end contacting with the shoulders, said guide plate having itscontacting surface spherically curved, and means to feed fuel by gravity upon the spherically curved contactlng surface.

7. In fuel distributing apparatus of the character described, a lower plate adapted for insertion within the door opening of the fire box and provided near. its forward .end with forwardly diverging upstanding flanges, an inclined guidel plate arranged near the rear ends of the upstanding flan es and projecting above the same, means or supplying fluid pressure between the flanges, and an'endless belt bucket conveyer having its upper discharge end extending above the inclined plate and adapted to feed fuel by gravity upon the'upper end of the plate.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT'E. JACKSON. BYRD o. YEARWOOD.

Witnesses.

' W. F. DAVIS, JLH. EVANS. 

